The Week the Shit Hit The Fan

The United States Senator from New Jersey spends several days in Iowa and wows Democrats at a state party dinner — a good way to possibly start a campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

The Governor is in the middle of a growing bad story over allegations that a former campaign staffer and administration official was involved in allegedly criminal sexual misconduct.

NICK PUGLIESE

DEVAL PATRICK

The (Bergen) Record reporter gets a great scoop: that the Governor and Legislature cut a deal to quietly increase salaries for legislative staffers, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

The former governor of Massachusetts comes to New Jersey as he explores a bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and doesn’t know who the state party chairman is.

KENNY ESSER

NOEMI VELAZQUEZ

The former Corzine administration official and PSE&G executive is named vice president and chief of staff at Hackensack Meridian Health.

The governor’s office staffer is suspended without pay after calling Evangelicals “assholes.”

MO BUTLER

COLLEEN ECKERT

The Mercury Public Affairs partner, who spent time in Iowa with Cory Booker, is named by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

The Bordentown township clerk is on paid leave after making racial slurs — yet another public employee that has not yet captured the essence of what gets people in trouble.

NJTV

CHRIS CHRISTIE

The public television station gets 30,000 viewers for the 11th district congressional debate between Jay Webber and Mikie Sherrill — possibly a sign that voter interest will be unusually high in the midterm election.

The former presidential candidate, who was endorsed by the Union Leader only to finish sixth in 2016 New Hampshire primary, returns to the Granite State to headline a $75-per-person fundraiser.